Living healthier, taking better care of oneself – many people resolve to do this at the start of the year. However, for one group of people, this is particularly difficult: family caregivers often think too little about themselves. Yet, they are often exposed to high levels of stress. To make them aware of their own situation, the dementia research project digiDEM Bavaria has developed a new, free online service: the caregiver traffic light.
The digiDEM Bayern family caregiver traffic light aims to clarify the degree of personal burden for family caregivers. Through ten questions, for example, on physical exhaustion and life satisfaction, caregivers can understand their individual situation. The result – green, yellow, or red – includes a recommendation for the next steps and thus provides an impetus for changing their life situation. The free and anonymous online self-test is offered in four languages (German, English, Turkish, Russian).
Effectiveness proven in extensive studies
The “Angehörigenampel” (Caregiver Traffic Light) is the short form of the "Häusliche-Pflege-Skala (HPS)" (Home Care Scale). This assessment tool was developed by scientists from the Center for Medical Supply Research at the University Hospital Erlangen. It is available in over 20 languages and has been used worldwide for six years. In an extensive scientific study with 351 informal caregivers, it was proven that the HPS reliably measures the extent of perceived burden. In another study with 386 informal caregivers, the validity of the traffic light system was demonstrated. The results showed the risk of health impairments for an informal caregiver at a specific burden value of the HPS. On this basis, a classification was made, which in turn formed the basis for the traffic light system.
Digital, everyday solutions to support daily life
The Relative Traffic Light is one of several online services provided as part of the dementia research project “Digital Dementia Registry Bavaria,” or digiDEM Bavaria for short. The goal is to support people with dementia, relatives, and volunteers through digital, everyday solutions. digiDEM Bavaria already offers two free online services for knowledge transfer about dementia: the webinar series “Science Watch LIVE” and the newsletter “Science Watch.”.
Long-term surveys of people with dementia and their caregivers
In addition to digital services, the digiDEM Bavaria project also includes surveys of people with dementia and their caregivers throughout Bavaria over a period of three years. This aims to gain insights into the course of the disease and the situation of caregivers, and to identify potential deficits.
digiDEM Bavaria forms a consortium of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, represented by the Interdisciplinary Center for Health Technology Assessment and Public Health (Director: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Kolominsky-Rabas) and the Chair of Medical Informatics (Head: Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Prokosch), the University Hospital Erlangen, represented by the Center for Medical Care Research (Head: Prof. Dr. med. Elmar Gräßel) and the Innovation Cluster Medical Valley European Metropolitan Region Nuremberg Board of Directors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Erich R. Reinhardt, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Jürgen Schüttler.
digiDEM Bayern is part of the Bavarian Dementia Strategy and is designed for five years (2019-2023). The research project is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Website https://digidem-bayern.de/angehoerigenampel/
Website www.digidem-bayern.de
Press Contact:
digiDEM Bavaria Press & Communications
Phone: 09131/85-35858
